Groton Among Highest In State In Nip Liquor Bottle Sales

GROTON, CT — Groton will receive nearly $47,408 from Connecticut’s “Nickel-per-Nip” environmental stewardship program, part of a statewide effort that has generated more than $19 million for cities and towns over the past four years.

The Wine and Spirit Wholesalers of Connecticut announced Monday that Groton’s payment for the latest reporting period, April 1 through Sept. 30, totaled $47,408, reflecting sales of 948,178 miniature bottles of liquor—known as “nips”—within town limits.

Groton ranked No. 9 in the state in sales of the tiny liquor bottles. Topping the list was New Haven, which sold over 2.3 million during that window.

Under the program, which began in 2021, municipalities receive 5 cents for each nip sold in their community. The funds are intended to support local environmental projects such as litter reduction, recycling, and cleanup programs.

Across Connecticut, total payments for the six-month period reached $2.49 million, up about $45,000 from the same time last year, according to the association.

"After four years in action, it’s never been clearer that this program is a resounding success for Connecticut," said Larry Cafero, executive director and general counsel of the Wine and Spirit Wholesalers of Connecticut. “We’ve been receiving great feedback from our partners in municipal government who are benefitting from this new source of consistent revenue for environmental projects, and we’re excited by this program’s continued success."

Since its launch, the program has provided a steady stream of funding to help towns manage litter and recycling efforts while offsetting cleanup costs associated with single-use beverage containers.